DRESSINgDACC Coated Post-operative Dressings for Surgical Site Infection Prevention in Vascular Surgery

This study focuses on surgical site infections, which are infections that occur at the site of surgery and affect around 5% of people who undergo operations. The rate is even higher in vascular surgery, reaching up to 30%. The study aims to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a method to reduce these infection rates. The method involves using Leukomed Sorbact, a wound dressing coated with a chemical called Dialkylcarbamoylchloride (DACC). This chemical is derived from spider-silk and interacts with bacteria, causing them to be removed from the wound when the dressing is changed. The study targets adults undergoing vascular surgery, a population that is particularly at risk of surgical site infections. In this study, 718 patients from various centers across the UK will participate. They will be randomly assigned by computer to one of two groups. One group will have their wounds dressed with Leukomed Sorbact, while the other group will receive a standard dressing. The study will follow up with the patients 30 days after their operation to inspect their wounds for infection. Patients will also be asked to complete short questionnaires about their quality of life at this time and again at 3 months post-surgery. The main question the study aims to answer is whether a DACC-coated dressing applied after an operation reduces the risk of infection at the surgery site. The study will also explore whether this treatment is cost-effective and promotes satisfactory healing.